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We covered a lot of territory, but I'll just share two highlights: Alivna, T.S. and Jennifer all said that they get under 5% of submissions with any diversity at all (Queer characters or characters of color) - which means that 95% of the stuff being submitted to them is about straight, white, middle-class or rich kids. There's an opportunity there, and all of them voiced that they wished they would get more submissions that had GLBTQ content.

We also tweeted and other social-media-ized up a storm! Together, we are the best! Thank you Jaime, Jolie, Martha and Suzanne!

#3 All the very kind people who came up to thank me for blogging, both for SCBWI and here at "I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?"

#4 Feeling like I was with my tribe, and embraced.

#5 Community, which I'm learning I sometimes spell K-a-r-a-o-k-e! Hanging out in the hotel bar, and at the Saturday night party and all throughout my Conference stay, talking with other people - friends old and new - as passionate about creating children's books as I am. It was so much fun.

Here are some moments from my #NY12SCBWI journal:

Lin Oliver acknowledging and praising the writers in the Friday Writers Roundtable Intensive, saying that it is a "very brave thing" to put your work forward.

"Readers go where tension is" - Cassandra Clare

"There is always a market for awesome books." - Jennifer Laughran

Little Brown Books for Young Readers Editor Kate Sullivan sharing that they ask before acquiring a book, "Do you like this book or do you want to marry this book?"

"If you're going down the tragic road, you want to go just as far down the comic road." - Chris Crutcher

"The Truth that you know is the one that will get you published - Chris Crutcher

Print = story+illustration

Digital = story+illustration+experience

- Rubin Pfeffer

"Protagonists are more aspirational than regular kids at the same age, especially in fantasy because they're going to need to be to deal with what's coming." - Courtney Bongiolatti

Alexadra Penfold's tip: "Google yourself and make sure it's what you want agents and editors to see with your submission."

Jordan Brown said of his job as Senior Editor at Harper Collins, "You're in the business of acquiring authors, not books."

"Tell the truest truth you can and tell it in the language it needs to be told in." - Chris Crutcher

"When readers feel the characters in a story have the same feelings they have - it's a relief." - Chris Crutcher

"The greater the un-put-down-ability, the easier it is for me to sell." - Jennifer Laughran

Cheryl Klein's description of Fermatas, a last line that holds the emotional resonance of a scene.

"Your success is directly proportionate to your ability to take rejection." - David Gordon

"Whatever that character needs is the story." - Dan Yaccarino

Regina Brook's theory on the popularity of Fantasy, in that publishers want to look at books that have a global reach, and Fantasy isn't locked into the U.S. domestic marketplace.

Also Regina rattling off six new YA imprints from the top of her head as a sign of the kid lit market's robustness.

And her line, "There's an agent on this Earth whose divine assignment on this Earth is to represent you."

Kathryn Erskine saying that after two years of writing and trying, she thought maybe she should give up. But then she heard a speech where the agent or editor said to her and the rest of the SCBWI attendees that if they keep at it, they'll improve, and they will get published. And she kept at her craft. From her first writing class to getting her first book published took 10 years. And now she was giving the closing keynote of the Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference, and ended it with this fermata,

"Go out there, and go create."

My Thanks to everyone at #NY12SCBWI - faculty, staff, Regional Advisors and attendees, for making January in New York so fantastic!

About Me

Author. Blogger. Make-The-World-A-Better-Placer. Out to Empower LGBTQ Teens and their Allies. Debut: "The Queer History Project: No Way, They Were Gay?" (Sept. 2017, Beyond Words/Simon & Schuster!) SCBWI 2015 Member of the Year. Represented by Danielle Smith of Lupine Grove Creative. All opinions expressed on this blog are solely my own.

The Small Print: How To Recommend Books To Include, and a Disclaimer

Don't see your favorite Book here? First do a search in the top left search box. Then check my "Books Still To Come" list. If you still don't see it, just click on "Contact Me" and leave me a note. I appreciate all your help making this blogsite a comprehensive resource! Also, when you've read one of the books listed, help other visitors out by adding a review.

Submission Guidelines: If you are an author or publisher, I do not generally accept review copies, since I don't really review the books featured on this blog - My goal is to let readers review them. All I need is a synopsis (including what's significantly GLBTQ about the book - so I know why I should include it here), a link to the author website or some online info or interview with the author, and the book's release date (as I don't post on books before they are available to the public.) Please make sure to include your contact info so I can follow up with you!

Disclaimer: Having said that, some of the books discussed on this blog may have been provided by the author or publisher. While some Links when you click on a book cover image will take you to a bookstore online (as one option of how you can get the book), I do not currently have any commission or credit arrangement for linked purchases. The opinions expressed on this blog, unless they're a comment from someone else, are my own.

Please, be kind and patient with each other, with yourselves, and, well - with me. Thanks! Lee